In Space, Japan Robot May Hear You Tweet

Japan’s humanoid robots smile, laugh, and sing. But what if they could read your facial expression, converse in words, and scale the latest peak in communication—tweet on the microblogging service Twitter? All this from space?

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A humanoid robot developed by Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology sings and dances with performers in Tokyo in October 2010.

That’s exactly what Japan’s national aerospace agency is aiming to develop by 2013. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said earlier this week that it has begun reviewing a possible joint venture with Tokyo University and advertising and communications company Dentsu Inc. to develop a humanoid robot that will join astronauts in space as a permanent resident on the International Space Station, or ISS.

The robot wouldn’t be the first aboard the ISS: NASA is launching a humanoid robot of its own later this month. But the NASA machine has been engineered to assist astronauts with various operational tasks on the ISS, while the Japanese robot’s main task would essentially be in the service sector—to keep astronauts company.

According to JAXA’s Satoshi Sano, “The robot would provide stress-relieving facial expressions and words (to the astronauts).” Perhaps more importantly for those back on Planet Earth, the robot would read and analyze the astronauts’ faces to detect any signs of stress, take pictures of the astronauts, and relay notices received from Earth while the astronauts are asleep. And, of course, communicate via Twitter.

But the earthbound among us keen to hang out with robot buddies may not miss out on the fun. JAXA hopes the humanoid robots will be used on Earth too, particularly in elderly care, keeping individuals company and sending notices about their conditions to family members far away. “It would be a ‘communication robot’—for preventing isolated individuals from feeling lonely,” explains Mr. Sano. And with Japan’s population rapidly aging, it’s technology that could yet be in considerable demand.

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Japan Real Time is a newsy, concise guide to what works, what doesn’t and why in the one-time poster child for Asian development, as it struggles to keep pace with faster-growing neighbors while competing with Europe for Michelin-rated restaurants. Drawing on the expertise of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, the site provides an inside track on business, politics and lifestyle in Japan as it comes to terms with being overtaken by China as the world’s second-biggest economy. You can contact the editors at japanrealtime@wsj.com